In the past few months, farmers in Shengjing have dug rivers and used existing facilities to water crops, keeping their feet off the ground. But even so, it is certain that wheat and potato production will be reduced this year.
It is impossible to water the crops enough by relying on human power alone.
Sheng Hong didn't look good. The weather was hot, but it couldn't warm his body.
He couldn't forget that nightmare.
Why is the situation always similar to the dream?
Who doesn't feel angry about this?
Moreover, combining this year's situation with Li Aiqing's behavior, it always feels a bit strange...
Chapter 208 Sheng Hong tempted and was afraid and rewarded Li Qiao with 100,000 acres of land
On that day, the weather was hot and the wheat harvest was about to begin. Sheng Hong left the palace and went to the wheat fields outside Shengjing City to inspect this year's wheat harvest.
In addition to Li Qiao, he was accompanied by Qian San and about thirty guards.
The group of people was very low-key. Sheng Hong was wearing a cotton robe, a straw hat worth more than ten yuan a piece, and he was holding a big cattail leaf fan in his hand. If it weren't for the unignorable nobility, he looked like a rich farmer from a distance. of.
Li Qiao is also very low-key. He wears a cotton shorts and the mille-feuille cloth shoes that Tao Zhu made for him two years ago. He also wears a straw hat on his head and holds a cattail leaf fan in his hand. He looks like a simple country boy.
Qian San and the guards were dressed similarly to the two of them. After leaving the city, a group of people walked along the cement road, following the wheat straw that had turned yellow, and went to whichever wheat field they liked.
After entering summer, the power of the sun showed up, but fortunately the cement road was stable, so it was not difficult to sit in the carriage.
From time to time, Sheng Hong got off the carriage and walked into the wheat field to check the condition of the wheat ears up close.
These wheat ears lacked water during the filling period, and the wheat grains were somewhat shriveled and not very plump.
As a result, the wheat yield per mu in the Shengjing area will definitely decline this year.
There is no chemical fertilizer in this time and space, and the seeds are not very high quality. The wheat yield per mu is generally 300 to 500 kilograms. Wheat production has been reduced this year, and the yield per mu is only 200 to 300 catties.
Moreover, this is the yield per mu of special-grade fields and first-grade fields.
For example, the yield per acre of middle-grade and low-grade fields will be lower.
Sheng Hong checked several wheat fields in succession. The wheat grains in each wheat field were shriveled, so his face became increasingly sad.
The people accompanying him naturally shrank their necks and reduced their presence as much as possible.
After checking another wheat field with shriveled wheat grains, Sheng Hong stood in the wheat field, let go of the wheat ears in his hands, and turned to look at Li Qiao.
"Li Aiqing, go to your village and have a look."
Hearing this, Li Qiao looked up at the dazzling sun above his head, and reminded with some hesitation: "Your Majesty, it's noon, it's time to eat."
"I'm not hungry, are you hungry?" Sheng Hong said and caressed the wheat ears casually. The sharp awns of the wheat ears pricked his palm, and the slight sting made his face look even more ugly.
Li Qiao looked at his face that was a little red from the sun even though he was wearing a straw hat, and said hurriedly: "Three years ago during the Chinese New Year, you rewarded Wei Chen with a village. That village was only ten miles away from here, and it was all wheat. "
"Shall we go over and take a look?"
This was the first time that Zhuangzi worked overtime to handle various memorials for Sheng Hong during the Chinese New Year. That was the year before the death of the third prince, and Sheng Hong rewarded him with overtime pay.
Although it is not big, it is all first-class fields.
When Sheng Hong heard this, he hummed, walked out of the wheat field with a sullen face, and got into the carriage.
Li Qiao hurriedly followed, and under his guidance, the group quickly arrived at this village.
There is a fence around the village, and there are more than 20 thatched houses built at the entrance of the village. At this time, smoke is floating in the sky above some thatched houses. This is the tenants in the village cooking lunch.
Li Liang happened to come to Zhuangzi today.
The wheat harvest was about to come, and Li Liang and Wang Guihua were so busy that they kept their feet from touching the ground, running around among Li Qiao's thousand-acre field with Li Shu and other people of the same generation.
Li Liang came to Zhuangzi today, and he also brought a batch of wheat sickles and small tools made by Li Qiao to facilitate bagging wheat.
Under normal circumstances, two people are needed to pack wheat into bags. One person holds the bag and the other person fills the bag with wheat.
This small tool made by Li Qiao is a triangular prism-shaped iron frame. By fixing the sack to the iron frame, only one person can load the wheat into the sack.
This saves a labor force.
There is no machinery in this time and space, and Li Qiao really can't think of any more tools that are convenient for farmers to harvest wheat. He only knew about this iron frame for holding wheat after seeing people in the base use it in his previous life.
When Shenghong Li Qiao and his party entered Zhuangzi, Li Liang was showing tenants how to use the iron frame in front of a thatched house with a big locust tree. Suddenly he saw Li Qiao at the door of Zhuangzi, and he was startled.
Why did Xiaoqiao come to the wheat field at this time?
When he learned that the emperor Sheng Hong was coming in person, he was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt down.
A group of tenants and a few people from the potato generation were so frightened that they knelt down.
"Everyone, get up. I just want to take a look at the wheat grown by Li Aiqing today. Don't panic." Sheng Hong smiled, no longer as gloomy as before, and raised his hand to signal Li Liang and others to get up.
The impression he gave to ordinary people was just like how gentle and kind he was at this time. Therefore, Li Liang and his gang became bolder, their frightened legs regained their strength, and they stood up with their hands on the ground.
Li Qiao looked on and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Sheng Hong was obviously in a terrible mood, but he could still smile to the farmers at the bottom.
This kind of self-control is really rare.
"Brother Li, how will the wheat harvest on this farm be this year? Will there be a failure?"
Sheng Hong pointed at the wheat not far away and asked Li Liangdao.
This sentence about the eldest brother of the Li family made Li Liang tremble all over in shock. His legs went weak and he almost knelt down again.
But soon great joy came over him.
Hey, the Holy Master gave me this title just for Xiao Qiao’s sake!
He straightened his back and said loudly with a proud look on his face: "As far as I'm concerned, the wheat is growing very well this year and there is no harvest failure!"
"You can go and take a look. Every grain of wheat is very plump. If you pinch it open with your fingernails, it will be filled with white flour!"
His farm is not short of water, and the wheat is growing very well this year.
"Really?" After hearing this, Sheng Hong became interested and walked towards the wheat field not far away: "Then I have to take a closer look."
"Please come this way, this way." Li Liang hurriedly led the way. Not only was his face flushed with excitement, but when he took a step, he tripped on his left foot and fell on his right foot.
Li Qiao hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. He chuckled and didn't care at all.
He is so happy!
You can't blame him. Being called the eldest brother of the Li family by the Holy Spirit would make anyone else fall down!
When Sheng Hong saw this, he couldn't help but laugh. He slowly came to Maizi with his hands behind his back.
He grabbed an ear of wheat, bent down, rubbed a few grains from the ear with both hands, and peeled off the husk outside the grains. The bulging grains appeared in his palms.
Compared with the shriveled wheat grains he saw this morning, the bulging grains of wheat in his palm were so delightful!
He turned to look at Li Qiao: "Li Aiqing, how did you grow this wheat?"
"If I return to the Holy Spirit, I will fertilize and water the soil as usual, with no other means. The only thing that is better than others is that I watered enough this year."
"Weichen asked people to dig many wells on Zhuangzi, and calculated that there is one well per five acres of land on average. Weichen also asked people to dig ditches and divert river water. A two-pronged approach was able to preserve this year's harvest. "
Li Qiao said calmly.
"Then you are quite foresight."
Sheng Hong raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Because Weichen was born and raised in the countryside, he knew that crops were inseparable from irrigation, so after Weichen gained the ability, he tried his best to ensure the harvest while making the family less burdened."
Li Qiao remained calm and unhurried.
This has been his thinking ever since he bought the land.
Irrigation is too important and tiring, so we must find ways to make it easier for people.
After hearing Li Qiao's words, Sheng Hong thought of the current situation of keel waterwheels in Pingcheng. He smiled slightly and said, "That's right. Li Aiqing has been like this for ten years, no matter whether he is in the mountains or in the court, his eyes are always on the farmers. On your body. You Zhuangzi wheat grows well, you deserve it."
"It would be great if all capable landowners were like you."
"You have set an example for the landowners in the world, and you should be rewarded. I will reward you with another 20,000 acres of land. You can take your pick."
"ah……"
Li Qiao was shocked and rewarded him?
"Master Xiao Li, thank you quickly."
Qian San on the side saw Li Qiao being restrained and hurriedly spoke to remind him.
"This... Your Majesty, I am a humble minister..."
"Since I have rewarded you, you can take it with peace of mind."
Sheng Hong interrupted him directly, and then walked towards the entrance of Zhuangzi: "It's getting late, and I can't delay hard-working farmers like the eldest brother of the Li family from having lunch and returning to the palace."
Li Qiao: "..."
Li Liang was also stunned.
Was the Holy Spirit so casual when he rewarded the little buckwheat field?
Are you rewarded by opening your mouth?
His little buckwheat has a holy heart too!
Ecstasy washed over him.
Twenty thousand acres!
Another six hundred thousand taels of silver!
"Xiao Qiao, thank you quickly." He also urged Li Qiao in a low voice.
Li Qiao took a long breath, that's all. Since Sheng Hong wanted to reward him, he would accept it.
The way Sheng Hong looked at him just now seemed to be a little bit inexplicably subtle, but it didn't contain any malice.
Since there is no malicious intention, he will continue.
I can only say that the Holy Spirit’s heart is like a needle in the sea.
